Method for attaching connections to stranded cables



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` w J STREADER METHOD FOR ATTACHING CONNECTIONS TO STRANDED CABLES June 24, 1952 Flled Feb 27 1946 June 24, 1952 W, J, STREADER 2,601,462

METHOD FOR ATTCHING CONNECTIONS TO STRANDED CABLES Filed Feb. 27, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 l l' *V Il L'. 1

23 Mii Bymvw Patented June 24,' 1952 METHOD FOR ATTACHING CONNECTIONS TO STRANDED CABLES William James Streader, Portslade, England, as-

signor to Tate Bros., Portslade, England, a British firm composed of William James Streader and Albert Edward Tate Application February 27, 1946, Serial No. 650,560

In Great Britain November 3, 1944 1 Claim. 1

This application corresponds to the application of William James Streader, Alfred Tate, and Albert Edward Tate, Serial No. 21611/44, which was led in Great Britain on November 3, 1944.

sleeve.

of successive steps.

COTE.

ence.

of its ends.

fected.

2 The sleeve may be indented in wavy formation by said pressure on each side thereof and along the greater part of the length thereof, so that the crests of the waves at one side of the sleeve lie opposite the troughs on the opposite Alternatively, the two Preferably, the sleeve is enclosed This invention is for an improved method and 5 apparatus for attaching a connection to a side, thereby still further increasing the grip bestranded cable which connection is of the kind tween the sleeve and the cable. comprising a sleeve formed of metal, which is In one method of carrying the invention into suiciently ductile to enable it to be contracted effect, the stranded cable is encircled by said on to the cable by distorting the metal of the sleeve, and the sleeve is enclosed in a die and I-Ieretofore, the sleeve was oval in crosskeys, or the like, are forced into the sleeve section and its distortion was effected by presthrough slots in the die. sure applied across the major axis of the oval parts of the die may be provided with fixed prothrough a contractible multipart cylindrical die jections on the inner face thereof, and the two which at the end of the compression was ardie parts are forced together on opposite sides ranged to contact with substantially the whole of the sleeve. of the outer surface of the sleeve. It was only in a die having a cylindrical surface of equal or practical to operate upon a comparatively short slightly smaller diameter than that of the sleeve. length of the sleeve at a time. so the complete Thus, a two-part die for carrying out the compression had to be carried out in a number method referred to above may comprise two This method of contractparts, each of which comprises a semi-cylindrical ing the sleeve resulted in the sleeve being subdepression having an axially-extending slot therestantially elongated, which may be a serious obin, a key in said slot, and means for limiting the jection, particularly when the connection is attravel of said key through said slot so that the tached to an electric power cable comprising a amount of metal pressed inwardly from the sleeve stranded aluminum sheath surrounding a steel is not substantially greater than will fill the gap In such an instance. the elongation of the between the strands opposite said key. The sleeve during distortion causes the aluminum means for limiting the extent of movement of strands to be pushed along the core and to bulge each key may comprise a head, or the like, on outwardly. An object of the present invention said key disposed outside said mould, and spring is to minimise or prevent elongation of the sleeve. means may be provided for moving the keys out- According to this invention, a method of atwardly from the cylindrical depression. Altertaching a sleeve of ductile metal to a stranded natively, each of Said die parts may comprise a cable consists in subjecting the sleeve to radial Semi-cylindrical depression, and a fixed projecpressure over a limited extent of its circumfertion extending along the lengt-,h of the depres- The extent 0f radial distortion 0f the sion, stopping short of each end. In this case, sleeve may be so limited that the amount of metal the extent of the projection is Such that the pressed inwardly from the inner surface of the amount of metal pressed inwardly from the sleeve 1S not substantlauy greater than Wm fm sleeve is not substantially greater than will ll thE gapS betweenfhe strapds of the came op' 40 the gap between the strands opposite said key posite the distortion. It is found that if the when the two parts of the die are forced t0 mlunt oft ml prlsellgardly 1s lsubsn gether. In either of the arrangements referred ola tegllqe atarng takes glagcpsrglg; to above, the cylindrical depression is arranged to have a length sufficient to cover a predeterthe radial pressure is so applied to said sleeve along a central stretch thereof terminating short n nned length of Sleeve Whlle the keys or Promo' tions are of such a length as to contact along Different portions of the circumference of the the central stretch of the sleeve leaving short sleeve may be subjected to radial pressure in sucend DOIIOIIS Of the sleeve unaffected. I cessive operations, so as to ensure that all the The following is a description oftwo different gaps between the strands are filled with the disforms 0f Connectlon for an alumlmum Sheath torted metal, whereby a rm attachment is efsteel core cable and the means for effecting that connection, reference being made to the accom- The sleeve may be subjected simultaneously to panyng dIaWIlgS. in WhiChZ pressure at opposite ends of a diameter.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of conerations. vthen slid over-the-steelsleeve-until the-'forked portions i2 and ideare in register. tion,the-sleeve-portion VIEB-cf theipart Illfstill -encircles the aluminium sheath, and this sleeve that referred VVto above.

nection before the parts thereof have been brought into register;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of another form of connection, also before the parts have been brought'into register;

Figure lSlis an'end elevation of a two-part die suitable for securing parts of the connection to the cable; c

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of an alternative form of two-part mould; s Y s YFigure 6` is a longitudinal -fsectin through -a further alternative form of two-part mould, the keys being shown in side elevation, and

Figure 7 is an end elevation of one of the key Y `sleeve portion i3. The other part of thelconnection-ifi is formedfrornaluminiurn oraluminium alloy, and isalsoprovided with-a forkedv portion i5, Vthe width between the limbs of which is sufficient toenableit to be brought into register with the -forkedfportionl2. It is also provided with 4a sleeve portion i5. Thenmethod of -assembling theparts is as `follows: The aluminium stranded sheath Il is stripped away Vfrom the stranded steelcorelL-and-the aluminium connection part -Ifl -is threaded-over the aluminium sheath into the positionshown vin Figurel. The

steel part I0 of the-connection `is. applied to .the steel core so that the sheath lf3 lencircles it. VA two-part dieindicated generally at l is then Vplaced over the steel sleeve-which vis indented .by

means of'keysassociated with the Fdieparts, yas c hereinafter described, i-n onekor anumber of .op-

The aluminium connection part. ld is In Ythis .posiportion isindented.r by -a two-part die similar `to ySince the method `of contracting'the aluminium sleeve on to the sheath does not resultkin elongation-of the 4sle'evethe.

`contracted onI the co'r-"ebyV means f of a two-'part die, indicated at 1S.

whichwas previouslyslid over :one ofthe :sheatfhs The aluminium y.sleeve 2Q is now .drawinfover t-hesteelsleeve le .and isof suiicient length '.asst'ill toA overlap' v.both *sheath portions Il The' aluminium :sleeve-fis then? contracted onto 'the'two sheath .portions 'i lby means of a two-partidie, eitherin a' single' operation, or first one end iscontracted on iso-the sheath, -and then the other.

@ne form of two-part die"2 2-is showri in Figures i 3 and 4. Each die part 22 is provided with a semi-cylindrical internal surface 2| of the same diameter as the aluminium sleeve or steel sleeve, according to which part it is to operate upon. The length of each die partn22 is greater than the length'of thev sleeve vportion with which it is to be used, and is provided with a slot through which extends a key 23 of a length preferably shorter than the length of the sleeve to be contracted. Each key may be provided with a wavy edge having crests and troughs 24 and 25 so The radial width of cylindrical ,inner surface of the die to a predetermined extent which is determined by a head 28 .formed atthe outerend of each key. The'faces of the keys exposed to the sheath may be partcylindrical. The keys may be forced outwardly away from the inner faces of the die by compression springs 2B accommodated in sockets in the vaforesaid head 28 and fin the 'die-part.

'Infthe 'arrangement shown `in Figure 5, 1inste'ad ofthe die-part 22'bein`g slotted to receive aslding key, eachis"provided"with aprojec- Vtion 2l .extending along 'the length thereof,

which is of 'a similar width, and V.projects'to a similar extentto 'the key shown in Figures 3 and '4, when "that key has 'been forced toits limit.

In 'eiecting the attachment of the .sleeve of aluminium alloy to Va cable Yhaving ja steel core made up lof seven strands'.and/havingv an overall diameter'of about l'l/zof `an`inch and ashe'ath of twelve aluminium strands making up van over- .all-dameter of about lof `an inch, Vthe surrounding -sleeve 'has an "external diameter of 'about A11/2 inches and an internal 'diameter vof such size as .to providean `easy sliding 'fit with Ythe core. The widthofthekeyon'adiepart is about 1/2-'an`jinch,'and' inthe case where the key isxed in thedie-part 'its -radial'lfieight is about @4,4 Aof an`inch. /Urider these 'conditions, the sleeve requires to ybe'sub'jected'to radial pressureY only at 'four yecliually 'disp'ose'dlo- -cations around ,its circumference. VThe "sleeve th-us requires tobe subjectedtotwo' pressing' 010- Yerations in a twoL-.part die`as lreferred to above.V

in slots formed-in thedie parts"an'd"are sofarvranged that pressure may "be 'applied to lthe outer yends thereof. 'The "two parts Lof the die can I'thus be .broughtlinto vContact withadne jahother and with the .sleeve before applying'pressure to the 'keys, vwhereby' the `sle'e'ye `is` wholly surroundedaand the metal .of the's'leeveispre- Vvented .from owing outwardly betwen the twol diepartsashas been the case heretofore. I lf desired, instead of each 'die-.lpart'beingprovided withV a `single key which necessitates Aa lsuccession of pressing operations, 'it may Ibe `provided with the number necessary for contracting the-sleeve" around the whole of its in'ner circumference and means maybe providedfor applying pressure simultaneously ,to all thefkeys.

Instead of .-providing a'key in Veach ydiegpart to Figures 3 -and .4, .each key ,may Ice provided with aback -plate 29 (seeFigures 6 and?) from which extend a number of pins'3. `The pinsare arranged Ito-extendrthrough .holes in .the two die part are disposed opposite the gaps between the pins in the other die part. The back plates are urged outwardly from their respective die parts by compression springs 3| located in depressions 32 in the back plates and die parts. The tips of each pin as viewed in the direction of Figure 6 are convexly shaped and as viewed in Figure 7 are concavely curved to suit the curvature of the sleeve being operated upon. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for contracting a steel sleeve on to a steel core.

In any of the constructions referred to above, the two die parts may be guided into correct registration with one another by the provision of interengaging dowels and dowel sockets.

I claim:

A method of attaching sleeves having eye portions to the core and sheath of a steel cored aluminium sheath cable in which both the core and the sheath are stranded comprising attaching a steel sleeve having an eye portion extending from one end thereof, to an exposed portion of the stranded steel core, positioning an aluminium sleeve having an eye portion extending from one end thereof and offset with respect to the eye portion of the steel sleeve over the attached steel sleeve and over the adjacent portion of the stranded aluminium sheath, with the eye portion of the aluminium sleeve in register with the eye portion of the steel sleeve, wholly surrounding the portion of the aluminium sleeve positioned over the aluminium sheath to coniine said portion of the sleeve against Vradially outward distortion, subjecting the portion of the 6 aluminium sleeve positioned over the aluminium sheath while so surrounded and in a single operation to inwardly directed radial pressure over a part of the external surface thereof extending longitudinally of the aluminium sleeve, to secure the aluminium sleeve to the aluminium sheath, said pressure being limited to that just sufficient to press inwardly from the inner surface of the aluminium sleeve an amount of metal that will ll the gaps between strands of the aluminium sheath opposite the inwardly pressed part so that the length of the aluminium sleeve will remain substantially constant and the eye portions of the steel and aluminium sleeves will remain in register.

WILLIAM JAMES STREADER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 336,663 Pond Feb. 23, 1886 376,493 Vannatter Jan. 17, 1888 1,643,150 Conner Sept. 20, 1927 1,834,436 Straley Dec. 1, 1931 1,863,048 Hayford June 14, 1932 1,896,512 Hayford et al. Feb. 7, 1933 1,911,775 Smith May 30, 1933 1,927,382 Andrew Sept. 19, 1933 2,109,837 Davis Mar. 1, 1938 2,131,766 Temple Oct. 4, 1938 2,226,849 Douglas Dec. 31, 1940 2,413,547 Davidson Dec. 3l, 1946 

